No lobbyists for kids

All children need love and protection and deserve to grow up without physical and emotional harm, says Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, who is pushing for more help to address child abuse and neglect.

Community leaders met with state lawmakers today in efforts to get more support for legislation and funding to help struggling children.

Several fatalities in recent years involving abused children in San Antonio served as a wake-up call, says Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio.

“No matter where you go in Texas, child abuse is a problem,” Castro said.

Uresti noted that an early morning hearing before the Senate Natural Resources Committee attracted a room full of lobbyists hired to protect business interests.

“Children don’t have any lobbyists,” he added.

More than $50 million in services of vulnerable children went unfunded in the Senate budget plan. They got placed on a “wish list” subject to funding if money becomes available.

“This should not be some children’s wish list. It should be a top priority,” Uresti said.

Several pending bills would help children. They include:

** SB 861 by Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio. The bill aims to identify the needs of at-risk youth with mental illness so they can be addressed quickly and accurately.

** SB 1050 by Uresti. The bill would mandate public disclosure of findings and information about children who have died of abuse or neglect.